


I Hope You Dance

by CrypticGabriel



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Dance Instructor Lance, Dancing Lessons, M/M, Wedding Planning, Weddings, Widowed Shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 21:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14818844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrypticGabriel/pseuds/CrypticGabriel
Summary: Shiro did all he could to raise his daughter on his own, and he could look back and say that he did a great job of that. He's watched her grow up and become successful. And now she's getting married. He wants to make sure her wedding is perfect. And in turn, his daughter wants to dance with him during the reception. There's just one huge problem with that.He can't dance.Shiro finds a class that's run by none other than Lance Espinosa, a man with an incredibly extensive dancing career. It's up to him to teach this walking disaster how to wow the wedding party and surprise his daughter.





	I Hope You Dance

**Author's Note:**

> Another storytime from the Shance Support Squad! I've been inspired to write this after watching a Hallmark Movie trailer. I'd found out that instead of my initial thoughts on what the premise was going to be, it was just another Hallmark formula. So here is my take on a 30 second trailer!

_Shiro took a deep breath as_ he stayed seated at the kitchen table in his daughter’s apartment. She’d invited him over, and her boyfriend was here as well. Linda had grown into a kindhearted, successful young woman, just like her mother was. He wished that she was here, actually. He’d managed to do just fine with raising her on his own, but his late wife still deserved to see how well their child was doing now that she was on her own.

Her boyfriend, Preston, was a little hard for him to get used to. He treated her well, and he genuinely had nothing to worry about. But he had such a difficult time letting Linda go, after all these years of making sure that she was safe and happy.

He was suspicious when he came over today, however. The two of them were smiling, and Linda was particularly excited. But he started to get an idea of what it was about. Preston had come to him several months earlier with a humble and kind request.

_“With your blessing, I would like to request your daughter’s hand in marriage.”_

It was hard to take in, but he never thought that Preston would be gracious enough to see if it was okay. Of _course,_ it was. With how happy his daughter was with him, he trusted him and trusted her judgment. He was a kind young man, and he wanted nothing more than for Linda to be happy.

“What’s all this about?” Shiro asked curiously, keeping up the act that he had no idea what was going on.

“Dad… I have some very exciting news.” Her smile was growing bigger and bigger.

Yeah. Shiro had absolutely nothing to worry about.

“The suspense is already killing me,” he chuckled while watching them.

Their dinner was almost finished, and the young couple was holding hands while Linda grinned. “Dad, I’m engaged. Preston and I are getting married!”

Shiro got up to move closer to her. He mirrored her smile, his eyes bright as he held her. “That’s great news! Congratulations.”

She giggled in delight. “I’m so excited! We’re still deciding the date, but I wanted to tell you before we let everyone else in on it.”

“Of course. And don’t worry about a thing, sweetheart,” he assured her while kissing her cheek. “I’ll help with the expenses. You deserve a wonderful wedding.”

“Thank you.” She stood up and held her father’s hands, still too excited to contain it all. “Look, look!” She showed him her hand so he could see the ring.

“Wow…” It felt like time was moving by way too fast for him, but as long as Linda was happy, Shiro wouldn’t want it any other way.

\--

 _“So, which venue would you like?”_ Shiro was looking through several pamphlets with Linda. They’d already made several appointments for flower ordering, wine tasting, and the cake. There were other things they needed to work out, but they were taking everything one thing at a time.

“How about at the hotel?” she asked curiously. “The ballroom is large enough for the wedding party, and maybe we can spend the night here before the honeymoon?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Expenses didn’t matter to Shiro. This was Linda’s dream wedding, and money was no object when it came to his baby girl. “We’ll get amazing pictures here. Have you started getting invitations in?”

“Yeah. So far, we have seventy people coming.” She sighed wistfully while looking through the different pictures of the grand hotel’s ballroom. “I want you and me right in the middle of the room for our dance…”

Shiro did a double take. “A dance?”

“Yeah. The uh… father and daughter dance?” She looked over. “We’re going to do that… right?”

“O-oh yeah! Yeah!” he chuckled and cleared his throat. “Of course, we are. I’m just messing with you.”

“Oh.” She laughed and sighed in relief. “Okay, Dad. And I want you to pick the song.”

“Whatever you say, Linda,” he assured her sweetly, but on the inside, he was freaking out _just_ a little bit.

Why? Well, the last time he’d danced was at his own wedding. Nearly thirty years ago. And he didn’t exactly do so well during that, either. He didn’t want to disappoint his daughter by not dancing with her, but when he got right down to it, he sucked at it. She didn’t have to know that, though. He just had to make sure he knew how to before her wedding.

He had five months.

\--

 _It took him a couple weeks_ to find a good and fast dance tutoring program. There was a small studio downtown. Among the staff was a well-known dancer in his heyday that was with several companies for different shows nationwide. Why he chose his town to be a tutor when he could just go to the city, he’d never know. But bless Shiro’s poor soul that he found him. He needed to learn ballroom dancing… well, _any_ dancing, fast.

He held his bag and stepped inside the studio on his first day. This class was specifically for people learning how to dance before a wedding, but he was the only single and middle-aged person here. They were all engaged couples. Just great. Already he felt out of place. But before he could back out and try somewhere else, the instructor, Lance Espinosa, suddenly walked in.

The man didn’t look a day over thirty, even though his biography on his website said that he had been performing for over twenty years. He must’ve started at a young age. There was _no_ way he was middle-aged.

“Welcome, everyone!” he grinned as he stepped in. “Fear not, my happy couples. By the time I’m through with you, you will be dancing experts just in time for your special day!” He was so enthusiastic.

A few of the couples were already excited, holding hands and giddily talking about what it would be like at their wedding reception. Shiro just… stood there, clearly out of place.

Lance briefly looked down at his roster before he passed it off to the first couple. “I would like everyone to sign this list to make sure everyone is all here and accounted for. And I would also like to begin our warmups. While the list goes around, stretch out your arms and legs.”

Shiro stood more towards the back of the room, mainly to avoid awkward conversations. Maybe if he stayed in the back, Lance wouldn’t notice that he was alone. He stretched and did his basic warmups, and by the time the clipboard got to him, he noticed that his name was at the bottom of the list.

“Now that everyone’s signed in, get into your pairs. Today, we will begin with the basics of ballroom dancing.”

Just as he feared, he was absolutely singled out by the other couples. They all stood together, holding hands and facing each other. Meanwhile, Shiro was in the middle of the room pleadingly looking at the instructor in hopes that he wouldn’t call him out. Lance looked right at him, more out of genuine curiosity. He peered at his roster once again.

“Okay… Mr. Shirogane?”

“Yes, Sir,” he said gingerly.

“Here to surprise the bride-to-be?” he grinned and walked over.

Shiro blushed and shyly shuffled his feet. “You could say that.”

He thankfully left it alone. “Seeing as you need a dancing partner, allow me.” He held his arms out.

Now, Shiro had no idea what was worse as he paired up with the instructor. All eyes were going to be on him, but at least this was the best way to learn how to dance. His partner was the man teaching them.

Lance spoke up so that everyone in the room could hear him, but Shiro greatly enjoyed hearing the sound of his voice regardless. “Now, the most important thing you need to learn about ballroom dancing is to feel connected to your partner. It shouldn’t be too hard for you happy couples, but you have to trust each other to lead and follow each other in the dance.” He let go of one of Shiro’s hands and used a remote to start up the stereo, slow music starting up at a decent volume. “Take deep breaths. Look at your partner… This is a special night for you.”

Shiro swallowed thickly. He hoped that he wasn’t blushing too much while looking at Lance. He was sure that the man probably got this all the time, though.

“Now, with my partner here, he will be leading, and I will follow,” Lance continued. “After all, if he wants to wow his future wife, he’s gotta sweep me off my feet!”

His teasing, playful tone most definitely made his top blow clean off, his face beet red. After all, Lance was a stranger. He didn’t need to know the real reason why he was here.

“Don’t be so nervous, Mr. Shirogane. Don’t want clammy hands,” he grinned.

“R-right.” He stammered. “Sorry.”

“Let’s begin,” he grinned. “Stand up straight. Feel it in your core. Leaders, get your left hand up and right arm on your partner’s shoulder.” He guided Shiro’s arm. He didn’t seem to mind that his right arm was mostly made of metal. “Followers, right hand up, left arm relaxed around your partner. Elbows right in front of you!” he called when he noticed a couple was doing it wrong.

“Oh yeah,” one of them gasped as he shifted his position.

The next song played, and Lance took a deep breath. “We’re going to start with the Foxtrot. Start up with the tempo. We have a slower song playing for a reason,” he added with a grin. He made it seem so easy as the dance began, and he spoke slowly to the rhythm of the music. “Five, six, seven, eight. Leaders move forward starting with the left, followers step back with the right. Now, with the leader, left… right… step to the side, meet together and close your feet together. Feel the tempo, don’t step out too far…” There was a pause. “Mr. Shirogane, that means move.”

His ears were still burning, and he quickly nodded as he started to lead.

Lance was still teaching everyone the directions. “Step, step, to the side, close together. That’s it. Slowly, it’s not a race. Feel the music. “Step, step—ow!”

Shiro stepped right on his foot. “I-I’m so sorry,” he gasped and moved his foot back.

“It happens,” he insisted, but he clearly was in pain. “Now, again. Step, step, side close…” The other couples tried this for a couple moments. “Still going slowly, let’s work on a rock step. All you do is lead into a turn, so that you don’t side step into a wall,” he teased. “Leaders, guide your partners into the motion by applying pressure to your leading arm, but don’t kill them.” There were a few chuckles. “Five, six, seven, eight—and slow turn. Forward, step back, and turn, and—oof!”

Shiro didn’t turn quick enough for the step causing them to collide. “Oh gosh, I’m sorry!”

Lance looked up, his hands tightening just a smidge. “You’re gonna be one of my more difficult students, aren’t you?” he grinned coyly.

“…Guilty as charge?” He shrugged.

Lance nodded slowly. “Mr. Shirogane, if you wanna wow your fiancé, we’ve got a long way to go. But don’t worry, that’s what I’m here for!” He smiled sweetly. “We have to work on your leading… Keep your back straight. Hands… there we go.”

Shiro tried to feel a little more confident, and he did his best to lead for the rest of the session.

\--

 _“Dad, I don’t feel right about_ this.”

Shiro chuckled while he waited outside. Linda was in the changing room, trying on her fourth dress. “I know, I’m not mom… But, if it makes you feel any better, you can hide the dress that is the perfect one.”

“Oh, I’ll power through it,” she giggled, and Shiro heard some more rustling. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Lemme see,” he grinned, sitting up straight. The associate that’d been helping them at the bridal shop also came back over to see how it looked.

When Linda stepped out, the dress flowed naturally behind her and complemented her skin tone nicely. It dragged a little bit from her not wearing heels, and it was kind of big on top, but it was nothing that a little tailoring could fix.

“I really like this one,” she gasped, sounding almost disappointed. “But I’ll never fit in it.”

“Nonsense,” he chuckled and looked up. “You look beautiful. We can get this hemmed, no problem."

She’d looked doubtful before, but when she looked up at him, her eyes sparkled. “You really think so?”

He nodded happily. “I know so, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead. “You’re going to look stunning on your wedding day.”

“Aww, Dad…” She chuckled and gave him a hug.

“So, this one?” the associate asked them.

Shiro answered for her gently, nodding in delight. “I think it’s perfect.”

Linda looked up happily. “Me too.”

After buying the dress, the two of them had lunch together. Linda happily chatted with her dad about the wedding plans, and Shiro offered her insight that hopefully would help.

“Have you thought about my wedding dance song?” she asked curiously.

He shook his head. “It’s a surprise.”

She gasped. “Nooo, no surprises!”

“It’s a good surprise! You’re gonna love it,” he said with a smile. “Now, I just gotta work on the dancing.”

“That shouldn’t be a big deal for you,” she insisted. “Mom always told me that you were a great dancer.”

He laughed nervously. “She did, huh?” Well, at least he knew now that his wife was a very good liar.

\--

 _Each session ended terribly. When he_ was with the group, he felt so nervous. Maybe it would be better if he was learning alone, especially since he was uncomfortable being widowed in a room full of young and engaged couples. But he wanted to do this for Linda, and he didn’t have the time to search for another tutor.

“Now, keep up with the tempo…” Lance was eagerly encouraging the group as he helped Shiro lead. It was difficult for them to move on with Shiro slowing them all down. Fortunately, Lance seemed to have the patience of a saint. “Step, step, side, prepare for the rock step, step, turn, and—ow!” He gasped as Shiro stepped on his foot _again._ “Okay, everyone, stop. Stop, stop.”

They all looked over as Lance stopped the music.

He looked annoyed, and Shiro didn’t blame him. It was his own fault for being so uncomfortable and distracted. “Mr. Shirogane, this is week _four._ Everyone else would like to move on from the basic slow dance and work on the waltz, if you don’t mind.”

“I know, I know. I’m very sorry,” he groaned. “I really suck at this.”

“My job is to make sure you sweep your partner off her feet,” he insisted. “And I haven’t seen your fiancé once, by the way. Maybe you’d do better if she joined us.”

“Right. B-but, I…” he stammered and avoided giving Lance eye contact. He’d kept the lie up for so long, that he never even thought of telling the truth.

Lance got the sense that something was wrong. His gaze softened, his grips loosening. “If you don’t mind, may we talk after class?”

He was doomed. “I probably should. “I’ll just step aside.” He maintained a bashful smile and looked around. “Sorry, guys.”

“Mr. Shirogane, you don’t have to.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” he chuckled. “Maybe I’ll learn a little more by observing.” He moved away to grab his bag, staying on the bench.

With that, Lance regained his composure and looked at the rest of the students. “Okay, everyone. You’re all doing so well. Let’s… move on with the waltz.” He seemed hesitant to keep going, but they were all paying customers. They deserved to continue on with the course.

 At the end of the lesson, everyone filed out. Shiro was about to get up, hoping that Lance probably forgot about talking. But after the last person left, Lance walked up to the bench.

“Okay, Mr. Shirogane.” He crossed his arms. “I want to apologize if you felt singled out. But I’m very concerned. You’re not retaining any of our lessons, and every time you come in you’re starting from scratch. What’s going on with you? Are you taking any of this seriously?”

“Y-yes!” he said quickly. “Of course, I am. But I…”

“I looked on my roster again,” he murmured to interrupt. “I checked again to see if your fiancé signed up, and I noticed that there’s in fact an odd number of people on my list. I feel like there may be an issue with the schedule, so if you’d like, you and your partner can come at a later time or another day?”

Shiro shook his head. He’d been trying his best not to lose his cool, but he couldn’t take it. “No. Listen, Mr. Espinosa, I didn’t sign up with a partner because I’m not getting married. I’m not engaged. I don’t have a wife. I _was_ married… She passed away ten years ago. An accident. Okay?”

His eyes widened. “Oh.” Lance’s arms fell down to his sides. “Oh… Gosh, I’m so sorry. Mr. Shirogane…” He trailed off, speechless.

“I wasn’t thinking when I signed up for this class. All I saw was wedding dancing and basics, and I signed up on that pretense. I’m incredibly out of place here, and I think that’s why I’m so distracted. I’m sorry that I’ve been slowing everyone down.”

Lance moved closer. “No, no, don’t be sorry… You’re clearly ambitious, for not quitting the first day at seeing all these couples, huh?” he commented with a smile.

“I guess so,” he stammered.

“I must ask, though. What’s the _real_ reason why you’re taking these classes?”

“It’s my daughter… She’s getting married, and she wanted to dance with me at the reception. As you can clearly see, I’ve got two left feet. You’re a great teacher, and that’s why I’ve stayed.”

After Lance sat down on the bench beside him, he still kept a sweet smile and pursed his lips together. “Well, you don’t have to leave. This is an easy fix. How would you like to instead get private lessons from me? Same pay rate, just that it’ll be you and me. We might get more done together that way.”

“You think so?” he perked up. “I just don’t want her to be disappointed that I can’t dance. This night is one thing that I want to make sure is perfect for her.”

“Of course,” he grinned. “By the end of this, you’ll be doing the steps with your eyes closed.”

“That’s exactly what I want to hear.”

\--

 _“Now, step, step, turn—quicker on_ the side step. Step, step, turn, side, and close, _very_ good.” Lance grinned as he kept up with following him.

Shiro quickly improved, now that it was one-on-one. With much better posture and a stronger form, he eagerly kept up with the beat, and eventually he didn’t really need his instructions.

“Perfect,” he insisted eagerly as the song ended. “Now, are you ready for the waltz?”

“Absolutely,” he chuckled. “Knowing it will really make her happy.”

Lance nodded and selected the next song. “Now, this is timed in threes. I got it slow for right now, and try not to step on my feet, okay?”

“I won’t,” he promised while blushing.

“Let’s stick to the box step for now. It’s easy,” Lance assured him. “Good posture, stay standing straight… Same position as starting a slow dance. Very good… Again, start with your left foot. Step, step—that’s it. One, two, three, one, two, three… Stay in the box. We’re moving slowly, and… careful on the turn.”

“Right, right,” Shiro nodded and corrected his form. He danced with Lance at ease, and a smile quickly formed on his face. “O-okay… I’m really getting the hang of this.”

“See?” He grinned. “You’ve already got the basics down, so this should be much easier. There we go… One, two, three…”

He stepped along to the beat. “I wanna try something. How about a spin?”

“A spin? Ooo, frisky,” he teased. “I hope you plan on taking me out to dinner first, big guy.”

His face darkened. “H-how do I do it?”

“Leave the ‘spin’ to me,” Lance chuckled. “What you need to do is take shorter steps starting on four. Start with the box step, and on four I will lead the turn. Ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Now… One, two, three, shorter, five, and done.” As he counted to the tempo, he did a slow turn before meeting back on the downbeat. “You’re more of a natural thank you think, Mr. Shirogane.”

“Thank you,” he hummed as they continued to dance. When the song was over, he settled down. “That was a lot of fun.”

“I’m glad,” Lance smiled as he started to put his things away. “So, we’ve got one more lesson. When’s your daughter’s wedding?”

“Next month.” He smiled, taking a deep breath. “I’m a little nervous. I wish she could’ve stayed young forever.”

“I’m sure. But you’re sure gonna surprise her with your dance moves, Mr. Shirogane.”

“I think I will.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Also… if you want, you can just call me Shiro.”

“Okay. Shiro… Shiro.” He kept saying it like a child learning a new word. He laughed a bit, his name practically rolling off his tongue. “And you can call me Lance.”

He nodded and smiled as they began to part ways. “I’ll keep that in mind… Lance.”

\--

 _“Dad, you’re sure smiling an awful_ lot lately.” Linda spoke up after she and Preston taste tested for their wedding cake. “What’s got you so happy?”

“Huh?” He looked up in a daze, still smiling wistfully. “Nothing. I’m just thinking.”

“Daddy…” She laughed and moved closer to him to hold his arm. “Tell me, tell me!”

“Alright.” He chuckled as they walked back to their cars. “It’s possible that I may have… met someone.”

Linda gasped, her eyes lighting up. “You have? Why didn’t you say something?” She giddily walked with him. “What’s her name? Does she have kids, too? When are you gonna have me meet her?”

He was surprised at hearing all her questions. “Sweetheart, slow down. First of all, it’s not a woman.”

“Really?” Her eyebrows raised up.

Preston looked over and smiled. “What an interesting development.”

“You hush, you big goof,” she teased her fiancé while nudging his arm. Her smile not once wavered. “Well, what’s _his_ name?”

Feeling a little more relieved, he smiled and leaned back against his car. “His name is Lance. But I don’t think he likes me that way. See, he’s a dance instructor and used to do shows. He looks so much younger than me, he can’t be any older than thirty.

“I believe my ears are deceiving me, because I’m hearing that you don’t think you’re good enough,” she gasped. “What do you mean, he won’t like you? What’s not to like? You’re tall, clean cut, and broody,” she added with a lower pitch to her voice. “He’d adore you!”

“Linda!” He blushed and shook his head. “What should I even tell him?”

“Hmm…” She crossed her arms and slumped. “Why don’t you just ask him out? I mean, he must’ve been in relationships before too, so there’s no awkward first date tension. No need to beat around the bush. No offense, Dad, but you’re not getting any younger.”

He pouted. “I… guess you’re right.”

\--

 _Shiro decided to take Linda’s advice._ He only had one last chance before he and Lance had to part ways. If he didn’t do it now, then it was never going to happen. He deserved to feel happy with another person, right? Even if it turned out that Lance didn’t feel the same way, he could at least say that he did try.

The last session he had, he showed up early. Genuinely, he had to give himself a major pep talk. He could do this. He could do this…

Lance arrived in his car a few minutes later, and he had his bag and stereo ready. “Hey, stranger!” he teased. “Early bird today, hm?”

“Yeah.” Shiro chuckled as they stepped inside together. “I’m ready to try it without instruction.”

“That’s great to hear,” he grinned and set up. “Let’s just do some warmups first, and I’ll be ready to be swept off my feet.”

Shiro took deep breaths while warming up. He could do this… _I can do this._

“I have the song that we’re dancing to,” he insisted and had a CD. “It’s a slow song, but learning the waltz is mighty handy.”

“You’ll still have plenty of chances to wow her,” Lance said happily as he popped the right track in.

He nodded and got ready to lead, the song starting to play. “I used to sing this to her when she was little. This is still a surprise.”

“Oh, I like this one,” he grinned. “An oldie, but still good.”

His brow furrowed. “Is my age really showing that much?”

“Just a tad,” Lance teased.

Shiro held his hand and smiled, waiting for Lance to keep eye contact with him before he started to lead. It was a simple slow dance, and with more lessons, he was taught how to keep it more tender and less clunky, given that this was his daughter’s dance.

As they danced, however, Lance rested his head on Shiro’s shoulder. He could practically feel the dusting blush on his cheeks, and he started to feel more confident. He smiled, his hold softening. Even when the song ended, they still kept close, as if they didn’t want to move away from one another.

“You’re going to do just fine,” Lance hummed, moving up. As if he’d realized that he’d been a little _too_ close, his face turned beet red. “She’ll love it.”

“I don’t doubt you,” he smiled. “Thank you so much for all your help.”

“You’re welcome.” He walked over to turn the stereo off. “So… there’s still another forty-five minutes left of the session. Would you… like to end early? I’m sure you have a lot to do, with wedding planning.”

“We’re actually nearly done. The last thing we need to do is the rehearsal dinner.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know I’m gonna cry when I walk down the aisle with her.”

“I’m sure you’ve done well raising her,” Lance smiled. “And now you get to watch her start her own family and one day teach her own kids everything she’s learned from you.”

Shiro was stunned, having to glance down. “Look, now I’m _really_ gonna cry.”

Lance chuckled and rubbed his shoulder. “I have nothing left to teach you. Have fun at the wedding.”

“Thank you.” He made sure to dry his eyes and realized that Lance was getting ready to leave. This was his last chance! “Wait.”

“Huh?” He looked up while packing his bag.

He had never even thought about dating again after his wife passed. He was _incredibly_ rusty, but he was hoping that Lance wouldn’t mind. “Uh… would you… ah. M-maybe, could we…?”

“Yeah…?” Lance grinned as he tried to help him out.

“Maybe uh… I’d like to take you out for coffee. A-as a thank you? And since we still have forty-five minutes of free time…” he trailed off.

His smile grew wider, and he took Shiro’s hand. “I’d love to.”

\--

“What?” Shiro gasped and grinned. “There’s no way that you’re thirty-four.”

“It’s true!” Lance giggled after taking a sip of his coffee. “My secret is natural skin treatments.”

“No way…” He shook his head in disbelief.

“So, how old are you?”

Shiro seemed a little shy to answer that. “Uh… forty-seven.”

“You’re kidding.”

He shook his head bashfully.

“Looking good for forty-seven!” Lance chuckled and reached over to give him a light nudge. “I’m sure you’ve got like, five motorcycles.”

“I haven’t had a midlife crisis!” Shiro started to laugh. “I’m hurt.”

As their laughter died down, there were a few more questions.

“So, why this little town? You could’ve gone anywhere else in the country to teach dancing.”

Lance pursed his lips in thought. “Well… I haven’t really thought about it that much. But most people _would_ expect a dancer of my background to teach in the city. But you should always look out for the little guys. They’re the ones that need to shine the most. After all, I started out in a small town, too.”

He smiled softly and reached over, taking his hand. “I’m really glad that you chose this town, then.”

“Yeah.” Lance squeezed his hand faintly. “Me too.”

During their walk back to the parking lot, they held hands, each holding a bag with a couple pastries. When they ran out of questions to ask, they just started to tell stories. Shiro felt comfortable with him, and he was happy that he finally had someone to share company with. Truth be told, he was so lonely, but he’d refused to admit it to himself until he finally found another person that he’d hoped could fill that empty space.

“Well, here’s my stop,” Lance teased as he got to his car. “I had a lot of fun, Shiro.”

“Me too.” He set his bag of food down on the hood of his own car in favor of holding both of Lance’s hands. “You can uh… call me anytime. If you wanna do coffee again, or dinner?”

“I’ll definitely keep that in mind.” His smile was as bright as the sun.

“Thank you again, for being such a good teacher.”

“And thank you, for being one of my sweetest students.”

They kept close to each other for what felt like several minutes. Shiro felt like he should do something, especially with the wistful look in Lance’s eyes. All of the different hurdles had been hopped over. Lance was perfect in every way. If he was interested in him this far, then surely he wouldn’t mind if they did this again.

_I can do this._

He leaned close and kissed his cheek, which was now a bright red after he pulled away. Shiro watched curiously, giving him a gentle smile.

Lance looked radiant as he laughed. “You missed.”

“Did I?” he teased and leaned back in, this time kissing the corner of his mouth. “This good…?”

He felt Lance’s smile against his lips. “Here. Let me help you.”

When they kissed for the first time, carefree and in the middle of the parking lot, it felt like coming home.

\--

 _“It’s not too late to invite_ him!” Linda insisted, with it now being a week before the wedding.

“Yes, it is,” he gasped. “But don’t worry. It’s going to be a special day for you. I’ll have plenty of time to spend with Lance. And also, I have a strong feeling you’ll love the song I picked for you.”

“Dad, please don’t make me cry,” she warned playfully, giving him a big hug. “Maybe I can pull a few strings. There were a couple of people that accepted but now can’t make it, so there should be extra food. It’ll be fun!”

“Okay, okay. But don’t go crazy over trying to get him. After all, it’s very short notice.” He chuckled and turned his attention back to the arrangements. He thought about inviting Lance, but he wasn’t sure how he would feel about coming to a wedding last minute. Besides, this was _Linda’s_ special day. He had plenty of time to spend with his new boyfriend afterwards.

However, he faintly heard Lina tell Preston, “We gotta invite Dad’s date.” He shrugged it off with a weary but amused smile, shaking his head.

\--

 _Shiro looked at himself in the_ bathroom mirror, fixing his tie. This was it, and he felt jittery in all his limbs. He’d nearly wept already just coming here to the church. But now that he was ready, he quietly found the room where the bride was waiting for him.

Shiro looked stunning in her flowing gown, a smile stretching from ear to ear. Everything about her was ethereal and perfect. If her mother was here right now, she’d be crying about how beautiful their baby looked. But he was here now to have enough emotion for the both of them.

“Linda, you look beautiful,” he smiled, giving her a gentle hug. He felt her hold tighten around him. “Nervous?”

“A little,” she stammered and smiled, taking deep breaths.

“Don’t be… Everything’s gonna be okay.”

She sighed sadly while pulling away. “I just… wish Mom was here to see this.”

“I know. Me too,” he murmured. “But she is, in spirit. And she would be so proud of you.”

Linda nodded happily and then shifted to stand beside him, locking arms with him. “Okay. I’m ready.”

The ceremony was wonderful, and everything went according to plan. The walk down the aisle beside her was the longest walk he’d ever taken in his life, but being there to let her go and watch her stand beside an excited and emotional Preston upon seeing his beautiful bride gave him the greatest feeling.

At the end of the aisle, he kissed her cheek and moved back to watch them exchange their vows and their rings. It was perfect.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Shiro’s job was done.

\--

 _The music was lively at the_ reception. Linda and Preston happily chatted with family they hadn’t seen in ages, while Shiro currently watched the wedding party and waited for the big dance. He memorized the steps in his head, as well as Lance’s tips. He didn’t have anything to worry about.

He kind of just wished he was here. Maybe inviting him wouldn’t have been such a bad idea.

“Hey, stranger.”

Shiro quickly turned around at the familiar voice. “Lance?”

He grinned at him from several feet away, and they hurried to meet each other.

“You’re here! I-I’m so happy you could make it,” he grinned while they hugged.

“Of course,” Lance chuckled. “Linda found my studio and asked me to come. She’s a real sweetheart.”

“She is,” he smiled. “And a little trickster.” He looked around for her, just to see her intently looking at the couple.

Linda grinned and gave him a thumb’s up before going back to socializing.

“It’s almost time for the big dance.” Lance cut back in again. “Aren’t you excited?”

“I’m terrified.”

“I believe in you,” he hummed as they shared a kiss. “You’ll do great!”

“I had an excellent teacher.” Shiro then heard the DJ speak up from his stand.

“Alright everyone. Let’s clear the floor as the bride and her father share their dance.”

He took a deep breath. “This is it.” He saw Lance still eagerly encouraging him as he went to the center of the ballroom. Linda met him there and gave him a hug as the song played.

“Daddy…” Shiro was so happy that she remembered. “I told you not to make me cry.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. But it’s gonna be alright. I’m right here,” he said with a smile. He started to lead the dance, keeping her close and guiding her with following. “I’m so proud of you, Linda.”

Her eyes were shining as she kept tears held back, her smile contagious. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he insisted sweetly. As they were dancing, however, he felt Linda step on his foot. “Ouch,” he teased with a grin.

“Sorry…” She blushed and shyly looked away. “Turns out I’m not the best dancer.”

“Don’t worry…” He briefly looked around to find Lance, who was still smiling from where he stood by one of the tables. “I know someone that can help.”

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://tiff-the-little-wanderer.tumblr.com)   
>  [twitter](http://twitter.com/wandering_tiff)


End file.
